Items tagged with pixel
For developers and enthusiasts looking to get an early taste of the next version of Google’s Android operating system, the release of new betas is always a highly-anticipated event. And while there's always the promise of cool new features and performance enhancements, there's always the possibility that things could go wrong with this early software -- after all, it is still in beta. Such is the case with Android Q Beta 4, which first landed earlier this week. Almost immediately, Pixel owners began complaining about problems with the over-the-air (OTA) update. Many users said that the Beta 4 update failed to install and, in some cases, put them into reboot hell. Others were cast...
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Google has made a splash over the last month with the launch of the new mid-range Pixel 3a and 3a XL smartphones. The devices have up to $600 in incentives to get users to trade in iPhone and other devices to get the new smartphone. We've talked about Android Q before with its focus on privacy and a slew of other new features coming. Google is reportedly working on another new feature for Android Q that might not come to everyone. This feature is automatic car crash detection. References were found to the new feature in the Android Q Beta 3 Safety Hub app. A string in the app reads that the car crash detection function will "automatically launch an alert activity when the device detects you are...
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There have been rumors going around that Google is gearing up to launch new mid-range smartphones to appeal to a wider range of smartphone buyers. As smartphone prices continue to grow, many consumers are simply not buying and are holding onto older devices for longer. Previously, a rumor suggested that these new mid-range devices will be called the Pixel 3 Lite and the Pixel 3 XL Lite. A new rumor claims that the mid-range Pixel devices will be called the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. The mid-range devices will reportedly launch in black, white, and iris colors; iris is said to be a mix between blue and purple. Pricing rumors suggest that the smartphones will go for about 450 euros, which would...
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If 2018 was the year of the notch, it looks as though 2019 may be the year of the folding smartphone. So far, we’ve seen the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X; and Motorola is confirmed to be working on a folding smartphone that will likely be branded as a Moto RAZR. We’re now learning – thanks to patent uncovered by Patently Mobile – that Google has its eyes on folding smartphones as well. We all know that Google is supporting folding smartphones on the software side with Android Q, but this patent relates to actual hardware. The patent shows two different folding display designs, one of which has a single fold,...
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As we discovered last month after a thorough review, Google's Pixel 3 and 3 XL smartphones are really good and we dubbed them as "Android Refined". And that camera! The camera is clearly one of the biggest attractions here, especially with the ability to take some of the best night shots we've ever seen. It's surprising, then, that even though the Pixel 3 and 3 XL only released last month, Best Buy is already applying one heck of a discount for Black Friday. That deal is $400 off, which is the kind of price slash that brings a top-end device down to or below the price point the likes of OnePlus flagships. This assumes of course that you're fine calling Verizon home, as that's the exclusive...
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Considering that nearly every detail about the Google Pixel 3 smartphone family has leaked at this point, it seems rather appropriate that the actual launch date would also be revealed ahead of schedule. According to a new report, the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be revealed at an event in New York City on October 9th. For reference, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were launched last year on October 4th. This news of the early October launch comes courtesy of Bloomberg, which slipped the information off-handily in its earlier piece on the 2018 Apple iPhone lineup. If Apple’s September release schedule sticks to previous years, the Google devices will debut just a few...
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The Pixel 3 family is likely still weeks away from being "officially" unveiled, but a constant stream of leaks has given us excellent looks at the upcoming Android 9 Pie flagships. In particular, the Pixel 3 XL has been especially prone to posing for the camera. The Pixel 3 XL has leaked once again, this time in a high-quality unboxing video that has been posted to YouTube. In the Russian video, we see that the Pixel 3 XL comes with a pair of Pixel Buds-style headphones that attach to the bottom-mounted USB-C port. Also in the box are a USB-C to USB-C adapter, USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, a USB-C to USB-A adapter and a wall plug. The video gives a good look at the Pixel 3 XL from all...
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Google decided to take Android 9 Pie out of the oven a little early, and while there are certain parts that could use a bit more baking, it is out of beta and ready to install on Pixel and Pixel 2 handsets. Well, sort of. Google is not pushing Android 9 Pie out to the masses yet, but has made available the source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). What that means is you can download and install Android 9 Pie on your Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, or Pixel 2 XL by manually sideloading it onto your device. That is a different process than just heading into settings and fetching it as an over-the-air (OTA) update. There is some prep work involved, especially if you have never done this sort...
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If you're looking for a great [and aging] flagship Android smartphone, B&H Photo is currently running a pretty good deal on the original Google Pixel. The Pixel launched in late 2016 and brought with it a sleek new design direction for Google's first-party smartphones and introduced us to Google's spectacular camera system. Right now, you can grab the 32GB variant for $329.99, while the 128GB variant rings in just $399. Both of those prices include free expedited shipping and you'll only pay tax if you live in the state New York. While these smartphones no longer feature bleeding edge hardware, their specs are nothing to scoff at. Both smartphones feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon...
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The wearables market might not be exactly booming right now, but regardless growth is expected in the segment. Apple is currently leading with its Apple Watch. However, Google is aiming to take the wearables fight directly to Apple, and hinted back in May that it could be rolling out a Pixel Wearable running its Android Wear OS to directly combat Apple. We have some detail on what to expect from Google for its forthcoming wearable and at the heart of the smartwatches will be a Qualcomm chip. Qualcomm chips haven't exactly been confirmed, but there were strong hints from Qualcomm's Pankaj Kedia, senior director and business lead for Smart Wearables, that they are coming. CNET reports...
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A new class action lawsuit was filed this week against Google by owners of the original Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs claim that the microphone in the original Pixel devices was defective from the start. The suit alleges that Google knew about the defect and continued to sell the devices anyway. The complaint implies that Google knew of the microphone defect from launch due to widespread complaints. Another allegation in the lawsuit is that some of the smartphones were replaced under warranty due to the mic issues, but the replacement devices suffered from the same defect. A Google employee posted previously on the support forums that the problem with the mic...
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Four months after announcing a $1.1 billion agreement to acquire most of HTC's phone division, and specifically the company's Pixel division, Google today announced that it has officially finalized the deal. The team that is now a part of Google is the same one that Google work with in developing its newest flagship phones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, as well as its previous generation Pixel handsets. "I’m delighted that we’ve officially closed our deal with HTC, and are welcoming an incredibly talented team to work on even better and more innovative products in the years to come. These new colleagues bring decades of experience achieving a series of 'firsts' particularly in the smartphone...
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One of the distinguishing features of Google's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL flagship Android Oreo smartphones compared to their predecessors is the inclusion of Portrait Mode. Portrait Mode allows the main cameras on the Pixel 2 family to produce a synthetic shallow depth effect in photos with a single camera lens, whereas most competitors use a dual-camera setup to achieve the same results. "For shallow depth-of-field, synthetic defocusing is not the same as real optical defocusing, but the visual effect is similar enough to achieve the same goal, of directing your attention towards the main subject," wrote Google engineers Marc Levoy and Yael Pritch in a research blog back in October. While Portrait...
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Estimating your available battery life on your Pixel smartphone is getting a lot smarter. A New York-based Google product manager just revealed that the company has made changes to the way that that Pixel devices determine how much battery life is remaining once you unplug from the wall. According to Google, Pixel smartphones previously used rigid assumptions to calculate how much battery life was remaining at any given time. "If you’ve used about 10% per hour over the past few hours, we would guess you will keep using 10% per hour," wrote Michelle. "As you might expect, this wasn’t always very accurate." Google has now switched to an on-device model that will continually monitor...
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